Page 107 of Break Me Not

She gave me a look. “Now this is definitely not stepmother talk.”

“You're my best friend first.” I gave her a nudge. “I bet I can get you in for free.”

“Who says I'm not already in?” Her smile was sly.

“You are?”

“Sloan gave me access.”

“Sloan?” My hackles were raised. “You do not go anywhere near⁠—”

“Oh my God! I know! We've already talked about it. I'm only allowed at her newest club openings, and I have to send her a message first to make sure none of us see each other. Okay? She has limits.” And then she added under her breath. “And so do I.”

I sat back in my seat, but I was starting to have regrets about even bringing up the club. I might not be a real stepmother to her, but there was no way I wanted her there. Overprotectiveness had started to rise in me, and I was thinking of all the ways I could get Sloan to ban her from the club forever.

But then Claire turned to me with a real smile.

“I'm glad you're back. I missed you.”

I sent her one back as all the panic and annoyance melted away.

“I missed you too.”

Claire dropped me off, only letting me know I needed to go upstairs now.

Not that she needed to. Of course I ran as fast as I could inside my apartment, knowing Liz would be there to greet me.

But when I burst through the door, I found that I was completely alone.

Maybe she's hiding for me.

But as I looked around the house, her stuff was not here. Some clothes in the closet were the only evidence she had been here. There wasn’t much food in the fridge. No hair tie on the counter. She forgot her glasses sometimes on the little table near the entry hall, but they weren’t there either.

She’s not here.

I leaned against the kitchen counter, despair spiraling around in my chest. It thickened into my throat and made tears prick my eyes.

The video of her ex-husband hurting her kept playing in my mind.

Did she leave because I wasn't fast enough? Because I wasn’t able to protect her?

Was that what had made her finally realize that we weren't compatible?

Jail had been a dark place for me. I’d been completely alone. It reminded me all too much about how it had been growing up. I felt unsafe. I made sure not to talk to anyone in case they got the wrong idea about me. I made it through, but my constant worrying about Liz and Claire and everything happening outside made me feel a bit crazy.

I ran my hand through my hair, remembering the way Liz would do it.

Just as I was about to get my phone out to try to call her, the door opened.

My breath caught in my throat when I caught sight of Liz. It had only been a few weeks, but it was like no time had passed at all.

Her red hair was pinned up into a professional updo. She was wearing a more formal dress that went all the way down to her knees, nothing like she would usually wear. In her hand, she had a leather briefcase type of bag that seemed heavy, which she set down on the floor.

And then she looked up at me… and everything that had been going on in my head vanished.

She was looking at me with the biggest smile I'd ever seen. She slammed the door behind her and ran toward me as I ran to her. We crashed in the middle of my apartment, arms wrapping around each other, hugging each other as close as we possibly could. I pulled away so we could force our lips together.

We met in a breathless kiss. It was clumsy and uncoordinated, but I couldn't bear to waste even one more second.